Ander



- (No Model.) v w M. S. ALEXANDER.

. NUT LOOK.

No. 549,303. "-Paten ted Nov. 5,18%.

wibmaoao I v SWW'W ZZMAYe/Z aizder 1 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAROELLUS S. ALEXANDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Y NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,303, dated November 5, 1895. Application filed February 25, 1895. fierial No. 539,612. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARoELLUs S. ALEX- ANDER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce such improvements in nut-locks of that general description shown in my Patent No. 449,023, issued March 24, 1891, as will simplify the construction, cheapen the cost of manufacture, and facilitate the operation of the locking device.

In the nut-lock shown in my above-recited patent the nut in turning moves over the end of a resilient metallic piece provided with notches or ratchet-teeth which engage and hold the sides of the nut as it is screwed down upon it. however, its use is largely limited to the employment of square nuts, and the same lock cannot be used interchangeably with square and hexagonal nuts. Moreover, a turnof the nut must be given sufficient to engage one of the ratchet-teeth, and under some circumstances the distance of movement of the nut from one ratchet-tooth to another may be too great or too small to adjust the nut with the nicety desired.

By my present invention I produce a lock adapted to be used with any kind of a nut and to permit the nicest degrees of adjustment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure Iis a top plan view of a portion of a T-rail and fish-plates, showing a double nut-lock at tached, with one of the nuts screwed down and the other elevated above the lock. Fig. II is an end view thereof, looking toward the elevated nut. Fig. III is a view of one end of the nut-lock detached, looking toward the loop and showing the twist of its end somewhat exaggerated.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates a T-rail, 2 the fish-plates, and 3 a bolt of any ordinary construction, shown as employed for fastening the parts together.

4 indicates any ordinary nut.

Referring, therefore, to the special features of the lock, 4 indicates the shank or body part of my lock, which in practice is pref- With a lock of that kind,

erably rectangular in cross-section and which lies flat against the part to which it is secured, which in the example illustrated is a fish-plate. The lock terminates in looped ends that are adapted to encircle adjacent bolts, the nut of each of which is to be secured. The flat body part of thelock extends between points opposite or nearly opposite the tangents which its opposite sides make with the two bolts, (indicated in the drawings by reference-numerals 5 and 6.) The lock is made preferably of spring-steel, and from the points 5 and 6, respectively, the loop is tilted so as to form an inclined plane curvilinear in direction, the planes beginning to rise, respectively, from the points 5 and 6. The inclined plane continues to the extremities of the piece, and to the points 7 and S, respectively, continues fiat, corresponding with the body part 4. The extremities 9 and 10, respectively, of the loops are from the points 7 and 8, respectively, slightly twisted outwardly to present the inner edges 11 and 12 against the bottom of the nut 4, the extreme end portion projecting entirely beyond the exterior .of the nut. In consequence, therefore, of the twist imparted to the respective extremities. of the lock, the inclined flat planes from 5 to 7 and 6 to 8, respectively, merge into what may be called sharp-edge planes on the extremities 9 and 10, respectively, of the loops. When, therefore,,anut is forced down against one of the loops, it rides with comparative ease over the flat plane, overcoming the resiliency of the loop and forcing itself firmly in place upon it. With each turn, after it has come into contact with the loop, the edge indicated at 11 or 12 begins, with gradually-increasing force, to bite against the bottom of the nut. Following the inclined plane of the loop, the nut may be screwed down firmly into place, compressing the end of the loop more and more with each turn. The movement of the nut in the opposite direction, however, is resisted by the sharp engagement of the edge of the twisted extremity of the loop with the bottom of the nut and is confined securely in place. By this arrangement any required adjustment of the parts may be effected by merely screwing the nut in place in the ordinary manner.

into acurvilinear form and having, a straight twisted extremity adapted to project beyond the side of the nut to dog the same, substantially as specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

MARCELLUS S. ALEXANDER.

Vi'itnesses:

\V. B. LARRABEE, R. R. BROWN. 

